Griffith Cultural Precinct Master Plan Up For Comment

Nobody could deny that Griffith has a natural affinity for culture and the arts - just look at how many talented artists and artisans, thespians and musicians we have, not to mention writers.

One of the Council’s sub-committees has been diligently working to create a cohesive Cultural Precinct Master Plan that will improve our cultural facilities into the future.

The Cultural Precinct Master Plan (CPMP) Committee submitted their most recent Minutes, including a recommendation to put the plan out on public exhibition for a period of 50 days, at the Council Meeting held on Tuesday, August 8.

Council adopted those Minutes.

Residents are now encouraged to have a say on the draft CPMP.

Chair of the CPMP, Councillor Jenny Ellis urged residents to view the plan and give feedback. Council will also hold a community meeting on Monday, August 21 at the Griffith Regional Theatre at 6.30pm.

Mrs Ellis said they would present the main parts of the Masterplan and take questions at that meeting.

"This Master Plan is the result of extensive community consultation," Councillor Ellis said.

"It’s a long-term plan to guide Council in managing and improving our cultural facilities to meet the needs and expectations of our community, and contribute to our cultural identity and the economic vitality of Griffith.”

The Master Plan is particularly focused on Griffith’s key cultural sites including the Griffith Regional Art Gallery, Griffith City Library, Griffith Regional Theatre and Pioneer Park Museum.

It also addresses the suitability of our current art gallery and the potential locations of a new one, including ascertaining the value of the Clock building and whether it fits into the cultural requirements of the city in the future.

The development of the Plan was informed by the outcomes of multiple community-member and stakeholder group engagement sessions held between February and June 2023.

The voices of the community and stakeholders provided an understanding of the needs and the development of the key opportunities for each cultural site moving forward.

The Griffith CPMP provides:

• Historic, social, economic, and planning context for the CPMP. It also outlines current Federal and State Government funding potential for regional cultural projects.

• A place and context analysis for Griffith, identifying the concentrations of current key cultural activities in Griffith and their relationship to each other. In particular that the commercial axis of Banna Avenue (as the main active commercial, social and cultural boulevard) is the connector between the eastern cultural node (including the library, current gallery, and tourism hub) and the central cultural node (with the theatre and city band).

• A bigger picture Master Plan guiding principles and opportunities at a city scale.

• Master Plan strategies for each of the four key cultural facilities, including an outline of what we currently have for each facility, what we need (from the workshop sessions) and analysis. For each cultural facility, it provides a set of actions and next steps to enhance the current uses and support the future opportunities for each facility

• Provides a framework for decisions to be made and prioritised.

The draft plan can be viewed at: griffith.nsw.gov.au/on-exhibition, with comments or submissions accepted up until 4pm, Friday, September 29.

• Topics:

• Local Council
• Community Feedback